Two early examples so far this year have emerged from different places making it clear that the Home Office needs to be reformed in a manner that introduces some credible elements, or perhaps divided up into components that are each capable of being improved significantly. The first example involves a man based in Lewes whose story appeared in the Argus on 1st January. Apparently this South African who has been living in the UK for 14 years, and is seeking British Citizenship is being denied sensible arrangements. Burt came from Durban with engineering qualifications gained at a University in South Africa and then gained additional qualifications in the UK. He is married to an English person, they have a son together who was born in Sussex, Burt’s Mother and his step father are both English and yet the Home Office is demanding that he passes an exam so that they are convinced that he can speak English.  His MP, Maria Caulfield has contacted the Home Office and yet they are still demanding that he takes an exam. There must be simpler, cheaper and more credible ways of discovering if Burt can speak English than demanding he passes an exam!

The second story involves the way in which Sajid Javid and Caroline Nokes have been spending the last 24 hours being interviewed to explain the nature of Refugees and Asylum Seekers trying to cross the Channel. Apparently there is one boat capable of cruising the Channel and two more are on their way from the Mediterranean. So rather than allowing the one boat to cruise the Channel to try to protect refugees, Javid spent half an hour on it, diverting it from its duties so he could be interviewed talking to the captain in an attempt to suggest he is on top of matters. Meanwhile Caroline spent some time in a port being interviewed whilst a rib boat went round in circles behind her attempting to illustrate the type of boat some of the refugees are travelling on. All of this suggests that not only do the Home Office Ministers fail to understand how best to communicate, but they have wasted resources simply to ensure they remain on TV, presumably in an attempt to be considered as future party leaders?